


Stopping the Kaiju Zombie Apocalypse- Brains over Brawn

by mage_girl



Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: !round one entries, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Ending the Apocalypse, F/M, Hermann is a bad ass, M/M, Minnesota love, Newt is Newt, Reverse Big Bang Challenge, Zombie Kaiju
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-15
Updated: 2014-02-15
Packaged: 2018-01-12 10:38:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1185271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mage_girl/pseuds/mage_girl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There was a plan. Get in, cause mass destruction, get out...and hope for the best, hope that this ends the Kaiju zombie infestation once and for all.</p><p>Until one mouthy scientist interferes and then the plan changes.</p><p>This is the story of of the group the world rested its hopes upon. Some Enforcers, a Phoenix, a Strafer, a mobile science lab as the vehicles. And a Marshal, his second in command, the communication officer, their crew, and two scientists.</p><p>This isn't your usual action story, folks. </p><p> </p><p>As this is a reverse big bang, I was thrilled to write the story in my mind ever since I saw Ponderosa's amazing artwork. Her art is in the story...enjoy!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stopping the Kaiju Zombie Apocalypse- Brains over Brawn

Intro

It was never made clear to the soldiers in the war how the Kaiju first came. Or what they were, exactly. There were whispers of experiments in the desert and in isolated places. There were rumors of extractions from alien aircraft. There were the usual conspiracy theories aplenty. In the end, it didn’t matter.

The world was fighting against a force that swelled and ebbed like the ocean’s tide. The Kaiju were like zombies, their only intent to kill and maim, and eat the flesh of those lucky enough to die in the first strike. A person who survived the initial attack would be dragged away for later consumption. There were no survivors left behind.

There were compounds all over the world. Bases which were the first line of defense against the Kaiju. They were strategically situated so the Kaiju were forced to crash against their walls like waves against rocks.

People took to calling them ‘Shatterdomes’ because that’s what happened when the blast doors slammed shut and the Kaiju swarmed them, clawing at them and trying to gain entrance. That was the cue for the Enforcers to come out with their pilots in a pincer maneuver. They would trap the Kaiju between the hammer and the anvil and shatter them against the doors, decimating their numbers in minutes. After that, the Phoenixes would sweep through, the clean up crew that made sure the Kaijus were dead and not getting up.

The Shatterdomes expanded, digging down deep and soaring high into the sky as humanity abandoned their defenceless cities and moved in. Generations lived and died in the Shatterdomes as Kaiju roamed the land. It was a delicate balance. Some people wanted to push back out into the open, wanted to go on the offensive and reclaim the planet. After fierce arguments, the Shatterdomes financed a small group to go out and hunt down Kaiju nests.

A few Enforcers, a Phoenix, a Strafer, a mobile Science Lab, a marshal, his second in command, and a communications officer led the crew.

This is their story.

 

*****

The pounding on the door had Raleigh awake in a moment. He glanced down at his sleeping companion who was still thankfully asleep, and then strode over to the door and opened it a crack, peering outside.

‘What the hell? Did you forget we just got in two hours ago?’ he hissed, his voice low.

Chuck winced. ‘No...I didn’t. But the Marshal wants to talk to you. Sorry, man. Did I wake her up?’

Raleigh looked over again. Mako was still sleeping, her face buried under the layers of blankets he’d pulled over the both of them.

‘No...she’s exhausted. I gotta stop by and talk to Hermann. He said he had a new sword for her. This one’s not doing the job,’ Raleigh muttered, stepping out into the hallway and closing the door behind him.

‘Yeah. I get her being exhausted. I think I’m almost fluent in Russian, seeing as Sasha and Aleksis have been talking non stop through the comm links since we hit the road yesterday,’ said Chuck, rubbing his eyes. ‘I keep catching the same words. If I wasn’t so sure Aleksis would eat me for breakfast, I’d repeat a few of them back to her when we’re clearing things out.’

‘You saying being exhausted helps you learn Russian better?’ asked Raleigh.

‘That’s exactly what I’m saying,’ grinned Chuck. He yawned. ‘I hadn’t had the luxury of sleep, yet. We got to this Shatterdome, my dad was on me right away for being too reckless or something. Like he forgets his time out in the field.’

‘I think it’s because he remembers too well,’ said Raleigh, diplomatically. He hated it when Chuck and Hercules were quarreling. Hercules piloted an Enforcer alongside the Marshal, Stacker Pentecost, for years, helping to build Shatterdomes across the North and South American continents. He’d seen his share of things and had done his share of things, too.

‘Damn it, stop being logical,’ growled Chuck, ‘You’re supposed to help me sustain my sullen reputation as a know it all pain in the ass.’

Raleigh laughed. ‘I think you do just fine by yourself, Chuck me boy.’ He easily sidestepped Chuck’s half hearted swing and continued down the hall. ‘What’s going on, do you know?’

‘Not really. He knows Mako is exhausted and well, you know how he feels about Mako being part of the clean up crew, anyway,’ said Chuck and Raleigh nodded.

It was never easy having Stacker Pentecost, Marshal on the Road (as he called him) as his quasi father-in-law. He’d inserted himself in between more than one argument between the two over the past couple of years. He didn’t regret being Mako’s partner one minute, though. He loved her and if he had to step in when she and her adopted father got into an argument about her safety, then it was a price he gladly paid.

‘OK. We’ll find out in a moment,’ murmured Raleigh as they stepped into the center of operations.

They were staying at a Shatterdome in the upper midwest. Raleigh had never been to Minnesota before and as they convoyed down the abandoned road, he’d looked eagerly around him. The towns had been long abandoned as everyone had moved to the one of three Shatterdomes in the state. Raleigh could see the beauty still, in the large pine trees that lined the road and the lakes that lapped at the road’s edge.

The Shatterdome named North Star held half a million people. There was another Shatterdome in the upper west part of the state and another in the far eastern corner near Lake Superior. That one was protected on one side by the lake but the craggy hills seemed to breed Kaijus. Their next stop would be Agate Shatterdome to see what they could do to help.

The center of operations was a busy place. It was where communications and networking took place and where the enormous bays were. The six Enforcers were all in their areas, attended to by their crew and pilots. The people who ran the Shatterdomes were a diverse group. Depending upon where in the world the Shatterdomes were, the ethnicities varied as did religious, political, and other views. It was the policy of the Shatterdomes that people were to be respected in and of themselves; there was something much bigger than themselves at the very front gates, after all. Human nature being human nature, Shatterdomes gained reputations of their own for their inclusivity or lack of it.

Raleigh remembered a time when people joked about putting certain groups of people onto an island and leaving them there. It wasn’t so much of a joke, anymore. He knew he was privileged to pass as the status quo pretty much wherever he went. Except, of course, in Asia, Africa or the Middle East. Any country whose skin tones weren’t ivory or parchment had the majority of their leadership in bronze, black, golden yellow, and reddish-brown tones. Raleigh saw that Stacker and Tendo were treated with much more respect at those than at the Shatterdomes whose dominant skin colour wasn’t theirs.

North Star had a lot more diversity than Raleigh expected. There were women in the bays working on the Enforcers and he’d been down to the R&D division earlier, pleased to see as many women as men scientists and researchers.

Raleigh was also happy to see all tones of skin colour in the center of operations as well as elsewhere. He grew up the son of an ambassador before the world went to hell and he was raised to respect people regardless of skin colour.

Marshal Pentecost was chatting to the marshal of the North Star Shatterdome and Raleigh could see the weariness in the lines on his face and the slight droop of his body. They’d set a punishing pace on the road, hoping to outstrip any Kaiju who might have picked up their trail. It was a futile hope at best.

The Kaiju had attacked not fifty miles out from the Shatterdome. The four Enforcers, huge armoured vehicles with plenty of firepower were more than capable of handling the thirty or so Kaijus who came pelting out of the woods at them and the nimble Strafer that Tendo operated also made short work of the Kaiju. The Strafer was a cross between a one person aircraft and a speeder bike from the Star Wars movies. Tendo fired its weapons and immobilized the Kaiju, leaving the wounded lying helpless in the road. Raleigh, Chuck, and Mako were chomping at the bit, waiting for the all clear. When it came, they drove around in their souped up Phoenix. The Phoenix was smaller than the Enforcer but just as deadly. Its weapons could be manned by two people if needed. In this small sortie, the need wasn’t there. Mako wielded her sword, Raleigh his M249, and Chuck drove the Phoenix, one of his pistols strapped to his ankle and the other in its shoulder holster.

No one was hurt but they were running on two days of hardly any sleep and once they made it to the Shatterdome, Raleigh brought Mako to their temporary room and tucked her into bed.

He knew Marshal Pentecost hadn’t had the luxury of a nap and neither did the man standing quietly at his side.

Hercules Hansen, second in command of their unit, was watching Raleigh and Chuck approach. He smiled slightly and motioned to the chairs in front of a table that had papers and maps stacked precariously on top of it.

Raleigh sat down and Chuck sat across from him, burying his head into his hands with a weary sigh, ruffling his hair up into tiny spikes.

‘You all right, son?’ asked Hercules, his brow wrinkled slightly.

‘Yeah. Just tired. Do we get some rest before we start clearing out Kaijus?’ mumbled Chuck through his fingers.

‘We'll get some time. Enough,’ stated Hercules with a sigh of his own. He sat down in the chair next to Chuck and put a steadying hand on Chuck’s shoulder, squeezing it.

They all looked up when Stacker Pentecost approached the table and stood at the one end, his fingertips brushing the tabletop.

‘You did good today,’ he complimented Raleigh and Chuck. ‘I know you were tired and I know Mako’s sword needs some improvement. Nice maneuvering, excellent strategies. I’ve got some material for you all to look over during your down time that should help expand on those. I’d like you to have as much versatility as possible.’

Raleigh nodded his head. ‘That’d be great. Some tactical information is always helpful.’

Chuck snorted and kicked his foot, gently. ‘Brown noser,’ he teased.

Raleigh rolled his eyes at Chuck but kept his attention on Marshal Pentecost.

‘We’re going to be here a week. Maybe two. During that time, we’ll make a trip up to Agate Shatterdome and deal with that nest of Kaijus up in the hills. If we can reduce their numbers or eliminate them altogether, it’d give that Shatterdome a chance to recoup its resources and help us in the future,’ said Pentecost.

‘What’s going on in the future?’ asked Chuck, seeing his dad and Stacker exchange looks.

‘We have some news from the science division...something that they’ve been working on with other divisions across the world. We think we know where they’re coming from. If we can take out their own base, if we can stop them from creating new Kaiju...we could win this war. We could mobilize all the Shatterdomes and take care of the rest of the Kaiju. We could end this,’ said Pentecost, his voice taut with hope and nerves.

‘Whoa...wait a minute...end this whole Kaiju thing? Like, forever? Like, reclaim the planet and rebuild and...live out in the open again?’ asked Chuck, leaning forward, his eyes fever bright.

‘Yes, all of that,’ responded Stacker with a slight smile.

Raleigh and Chuck exchanged looks of their own; glee and hope and determination passing over their faces.

‘I’m in. I know Mako is in. You’ll want to check with her, of course. What about you, Chuck?’ asked Raleigh, knowing the answer but wanting to hear it from him.

‘Fuck, yeah. Let’s do this!’ exclaimed Chuck, twisting to look at his dad. ‘We could settle down back home. We could do something other than hunting down these bastards and killing them time and time again.’

‘It’d be nice to see the war end,’ said Hercules. ‘Be great to finally call a place a home.’

Raleigh knew Hercules and Chuck hadn’t settled down in one spot since Chuck was a child. His mother was killed in the early days of the Kaiju attacks. Her last act had been to lock Chuck in the safe room before using herself as a lure to draw the Kaiju away from their home. Chuck missed her every day.

‘So we’re resting up, then? Doing one last hurrah before the big fight, is that it?’ asked Raleigh, shrewdly, his eyes watching for every little reaction from Marshal Pentecost.

Marshal Pentecost nodded his head, closing his eyes briefly before opening them to look down at the papers on the table. He moved a few aside before pulling out a report and then glanced up at the marshal of the North Star.

‘This is Marshal Adams. He’ll brief you on Agate Shatterdome. After that, I’d like you to get some more sleep. We’ll go up tomorrow and when we get back, we’ll have the information we need to do the final push,’ instructed Marshal Pentecost.

Hercules put a hand over Pentecost’s. ‘Why don’t you turn in? I’ll stay and join you later.’

They looked at each other, a silent message passing between them. ‘Yeah...I can do that. I’ll see you later, then,’ said Pentecost, slowly. ‘I am pretty tired,’ he admitted, rubbing his eyes with his other hand and smiling faintly at Hercules.

‘Good. Some sleep will do you wonders. Go on,’ urged Hercules, squeezing Pentecost’s hand, briefly.

Marshal Pentecost nodded at Marshal Adams, Raleigh, and Chuck before smiling more warmly at Hercules. He gently removed his hand from Hercules’s and stepped back from the table. Without another word, he turned and walked away.

Hercules watched him for a moment and then nodded, satisfied. He turned his attention back to Marshal Adams. ‘Marshal Adams, let me do some formal introductions and then, if you would, please update us on Agate Shatterdome.’

Marshal Adams, a tall, lanky man with dark brown hair and green eyes, smiled at them all. ‘That would be great. It’d be my pleasure to give you the insider information.’

Raleigh leaned back in his chair. He thought wistfully of Mako in their bed and wished he was curled up around her, his face against her neck. Soon, he told himself. He’d go back and lay with her and sleep until he woke up. That sounded wonderful.

Now, though, he turned his attention back to the meeting and smiled and offered his hand to the Marshal when Hercules introduced him.

He couldn’t wait to tell Mako all about them stopping the Kaiju not just temporarily but forever.

*****

The debriefing had lasted an hour. He was dead on his feet, Chuck was barely conscious and Hercules was making a valiant effort to remain awake. Marshal Adams told them to get some sleep and they’d get everyone together the next day. He wanted to meet the Enforcer pilots and their communications officer.

Raleigh stumbled back to the room he and Mako shared and slipped inside, closing and locking the door behind him. He put the keys on the table near the door and left behind a trail of clothes, beginning with his shirt discarded in the bathroom and his jeans left in the hall. He shook off his socks by the bed and carefully crawled over Mako’s sleeping body, slipping in between the sheets. He sighed as his head laid down on the pillow and he gathered Mako into his arms, nuzzling her hair with his nose.

She murmured slightly in her sleep and burrowed as close as she could, twining her legs with his. Raleigh pulled her tighter against him, breathing in her scent, his body finally relaxing after so many days of being on high alert. He could feel the adrenaline rush leaving, and the exhaustion rolled in, fogging his mind.

Raleigh closed his eyes, letting his body’s need for sleep claim him. He thought, ‘Mako is going to be so happy when I tell her the news’ before sleep overtook him and he fell asleep.

*****

Raleigh rolled over and nudged against Mako. She woke up and looked down at him. He was sleeping; the worry and anxiety that had wrinkled his brow the past few days had eased. His mouth was open slightly and he looked like a little boy. Mako tenderly brushed some hair out of his eyes but he didn’t wake up.

She stretched and got out of bed, carefully moving Raleigh’s arm from around her waist first. She padded to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. The dark circles under her eyes were almost gone and she looked a lot more awake than she’d been in days. She needed to drink some water but other than that, the damage wasn’t as bad as she’d feared.

She ran a comb through her hair, making sure to untangle the long side bangs with their cobalt blue colours. Mako stripped her clothing off and adjusted the water in the small shower. She stepped in and soaped up, scrubbing her face with a happy sigh. She could feel days of grime and grease rinse down the drain. She shampooed her hair and shut off the water, grabbing a towel to quickly towel dry her hair. She dried off her body and wrapped the towel around her waist, put toothpaste on her toothbrush and brushed her teeth.

After rinsing her mouth and going to the bathroom, Mako opened up the bathroom door and walked over to the duffel bag with her clothes in it. She pulled on a comfortable camisole and then a t shirt over it. A noise from the bed had her looking over, holding her panties in her hand.

Raleigh had propped himself on one elbow, smiling at her. ‘Oh, don’t get dressed on _my_ account,’ he protested.

‘Pffft. Don’t be an oink oink,’ she retorted, slipping on her panties and then a pair of soft grey yoga pants.

‘Awww...all right. Did you get enough sleep?’ he asked, studying her.

‘I feel pretty good. How about you?’ she asked, walking over to sit on the bed.

He stretched and cushioned his head on his hands. ‘Much better. Really needed that sleep. I think we’ll appreciate it when we head on up to Agate Shatterdome.’

‘Did I miss something?’ asked Mako.

‘We had a briefing but you were too damn tired to sit there, Mako. I about carried you to our room,’ pointed out Raleigh. ‘You didn’t miss much. Marshal Adams wants to meet all of us later on. He wants to go over the strategies for dealing with the Kaiju up north. And there’s more,’ added Raleigh, unable to help the thread of excitement in his voice.

Mako raised her eyebrows, catching the undertone. ‘What is it?’ she asked.

‘Stacker said scientists have been working on something big. They think they know where the Kaiju originated from and they know how to shut that down. We’d just have to go take care of the remaining Kaiju and...and we wouldn’t need the Shatterdomes! We could live wherever we wanted to...live out in the open...’ enthused Raleigh.

Mako stared at him. ‘Truly? This isn’t a joke?’

‘No! No joke. Stacker looked as though his dearest wish had come true. He says he’ll talk to us all about it later on. He looked wiped out. Hercules got him to go to bed,’ revealed Raleigh.

Mako giggled. ‘I wish I would have seen that. He must have been exhausted.’

‘He was pretty tired. We all were. Are you hungry? We could see if anyone else is up,’ suggested Raleigh.

‘I am pretty hungry. Let’s see if we can bother Tendo,’ said Mako with a grin.

‘Sounds like a plan. Knowing him, he’s taken over the coffee machine,’ predicted Raleigh. He got out of bed and then wrinkled his nose. ‘Can you wait a few minutes? Let me take a quick shower. I smell like three days’ worth of roadkill.’

‘Nice,’ chided Mako. ‘Go on. I can wait.’

Raleigh headed to the bathroom, giving Mako a kiss on the top of her head as he passed.

*****

Raleigh and Mako sat down at the table where Tendo, Hercules, Chuck, and Hermann are eating.

‘You know you’re messed up with time when you have to look at what’s being served to figure out if it’s breakfast or lunch time,’ remarked Raleigh as he poked at his sandwich.

Tendo laughed. ‘I hear you. I woke up, looked at the clock and thought, ‘it’s eleven o’clock. This is either very good or very bad.’’

‘How are you doing, Hermann?’ asked Mako, smiling at the scientist.

‘Just fine. Very busy with calculations and providing data for the meeting this afternoon,’ replied Hermann.

‘Oh! That’s the meeting about the Kaiju, isn’t it?’ asked Mako. She leaned in. ‘Can you tell us a little about it?’

‘I couldn’t do that, Mako. It’s not my place to,’ protested Hermann with a gleam in his eye.

‘This has nothing to do with rank, Hermann,’ exclaimed Tendo, clapping a hand on Hermann’s shoulder. ‘Come on, science dude. Give us some news.’

Hermann sighed. ‘Very well. We’ve always suspected the Kaiju are coming from some central location. They have managed to spread throughout the earth, of course but they had to come from _somewhere_. After studying the patterns and managing to get hold of some documents that were, shall we say, previously unattainable, we’ve pinpointed out where they are coming from with almost one hundred percent accuracy.’

Mako smiled at the disgruntled look on Hermann’s face. He obviously wanted the one hundred percent guarantee but would settle for almost.

‘What does your science partner have to say about that?’ asked Tendo, a trouble making grin on his face.

Hermann bristled. ‘Newt has nothing to say about it because he ‘doesn’t do numbers’ as he puts it. He putters around the lab with the Kaiju samples and talks absolute nonsense.’

Tendo patted Hermann’s shoulder. ‘Did you divide your space up already?’ he asked, knowing the answer.

‘Of course I did. I’m not about to have Kaiju guts all over my clean floor,’ sniffed Hermann. ‘I have numbers to run and calculations to make if this is to be a reality. He can dirty up his side of the room.’

Mako and Tendo traded looks but decided not to say anything. The two scientists got along pretty well but every now and then, their personalities would rub each other the wrong way. It was best not to encourage either one when they got going on a tirade about the others’ personality traits.

‘Thanks for the insider info, Hermann,’ says Mako. ‘It’s much appreciated.’

‘You’re welcome, Mako,’ said Hermann with a smile. ‘I’ll see you later. I’m going to get ready.’

They bid him goodbye and finished up their lunch. Tendo grabbed another cup of coffee and headed towards the center of operations, Hercules walking at his side. Mako, Raleigh, and Chuck followed behind more slowly, looking around to see if they could see their fellow teammates.

The Kaidanovskys weren’t in sight but the Wei Tang triplets joined them at an intersection in the hall. The three men looked a lot better than they had yesterday as well. They piloted one of the Enforcers, the large tank like vehicles that met the first rush of the Kaiju head on.

‘Hi, guys,’ greeted Raleigh as the triplets smoothly synced their steps so they could join the others without jostling for room or accidentally tripping over someone. Raleigh figured they were used to moving in a small group of their own but it still amazed him every time they moved like that. When the Wei Tang triplets drove the Enforcer, they were in tune with each other as well. Smooth maneuvering and stopping on a dime tactics that Raleigh envied.

‘Hi,’ said Cheung. He was the more talkative of the three and had spent some time in the gym with Raleigh and Chuck before.

‘Have you seen Sasha and Aleksis?’ asked Raleigh.

‘They’re already there. Aleksis is pretty excited but Sasha is, well, Sasha,’ commented Cheung with an upward tilt of his lips.

‘I don’t blame her. I want the proof that this is going to work,’ interjected Chuck. He pursed his lips, slightly. ‘All these numbers and all this science stuff better point to one thing.’

Mako rolled her eyes as Chuck and Raleigh both quoted, ‘’Where they are,’’ from the movie, _Aliens_ , and whooped.

‘You guys, really. I’m confiscating the video player,’ she teased.

The Wei Tang triplets snickered as they went down the hall and heard Chuck’s forlorn voice say, ‘You wouldn’t do that to us, would you, Mako? Mako?’

Mako winked at the triplets and they grinned back at her as they made their way to the center of operations.

*****

Aleksis and Sasha were there, lounging in the chairs at the table Chuck and Raleigh had been sitting at the previous night.

Aleksis grinned at them and Sasha smiled slightly, both of them raising a welcoming hand as the others sat down at the table.

Marshal Pentecost and Hercules Hanson came into the room, Tendo trailing behind them with a coffee cup in his hands. They sat down as well, Tendo carefully setting the cup on the table in front of him.

Behind them walked the newest pilots to the group, Darius and Javion. They were brothers who’d joined up when the Kaiju had gone through their southern town and slaughtered everyone, including their family.

After a moment, Marshal Adams walked into the room along with Hermann and Newt. He smiled at everyone and motioned for the scientists to take a seat as well.

‘Welcome to North Star Shatterdome,’ began Marshal Adams. ‘We are pleased you are here and will give you what help you need to go on up to Agate Shatterdome and help deal with the Kaiju threat up there.’

Raleigh reached over and laced his fingers with Mako’s, holding her hand, gently.

He smiled as Aleksis reached for Sasha’s hand and kissed the knuckles before setting their entwined hands onto his lap.

‘We have some material for all of you so you know the terrain you’ll be fighting in, the type of Kaiju you’ll be up against, and the strategies you might wish to employ while doing so. Agate Shatterdome is expecting your arrival in two days. It takes a day to drive up there. The Enforcers will not have a problem with driving the roads. They can make a pathway for the smaller vehicles.’ Marshal Adams passed out folders as he spoke.

‘You may or may not encounter smaller groups of Kaiju along the way. There is no habitable place along the way so the likelihood is low but there always is the possibility. If you need to stop, take all precautions. We’ve lost people who haven’t been careful enough and assumed they wouldn’t be ambushed on the way up to Agate,’ said Marshal Adams, his voice stern.

‘Marshal Pentecost, if you would please introduce your group? I’d like to know them by name as well as face,’ asked Marshal Adams.

‘My pleasure, Marshal. To the left of me is Hercules Hansen, second in command. Sitting next to him is his son, Chuck Hansen. He is part of the clean up crew. Next to Chuck is Aleksis Kaidanovsky who pilots an Enforcer along with his wife, Sasha Kaidanovsky. Next to Sasha is Tendo Choi, our communications officer,’ began Marshal Pentecost, pointing to each person he introduced.

They all said ‘hello’ to Marshal Adams who responded in kind. He turned his attention to the other side of the table as Marshal Pentecost gestured towards Raleigh.

‘Raleigh Becket and Mako Mori, who are also members of the clean up crew, and the Wei Tang brothers. They pilot the largest Enforcer we have. Cheung, Hu, and Jin,’ pointed out Marshal Stacker, as each brother nodded his head to Marshal Adams in return.

‘Darius and Javion Hinton are our other Enforcer pilots,’ continued Marshal Stacker. The two black men smiled and nodded at Marshal Adams who smiled back.

‘You have already met our scientists, Hermann Gottlieb and Newton Geiszler, and myself, of course,’ said Marshal Pentecost with a wry smile on his face.

‘Thank you, Marshal Pentecost. I’m Marshal Adams. I’ve been in charge of this facility for ten years, now. My second in command is up at Agate Shatterdome and she will be helping you out up there. You are welcome to use all the common facilities at this Shatterdome. Please know we do not tolerate discrimination of any form. We respect diversity in this Shatterdome.’ Marshal Adams’ gaze flickers to Raleigh and Mako’s clasped hands and also to Hercules and Pentecost. He smiled at them. ‘I hope that makes your stay with us more comfortable.’

‘And now, I know you have heard the rumor of what our scientists have found. I believe Dr Gottlieb has some news for us?’ inquired Marshal Adams.

‘Thank you, Marshal Adams. This is very exciting and I will break it down as there is a lot of data and details that would bore you to tears,’ began Hermann who frowned as Newt stage whispered, ‘It bored _me_ to tears. I was almost crying.’

Raleigh grinned and refused to meet Tendo’s gaze across the table because he’d crack up laughing and that would only piss Hermann off.

‘Thank you and no thank you for your comments, Dr Geiszler. As I was saying, I shall give you the information you need to get the mission done,’ continued Hermann after scowling at an unrepentant Newt.

‘Wait a minute….my pardon, Hermann but _us_? Isn’t there going to be anyone else joining us for this operation?’ asked Chuck, frowning himself.

Hermann looked uncertainly towards Marshal Adams and hesitated.

‘Hold on, now. We’re not the only ones going into this snake pit, are we?’ demanded Chuck, rising halfways out of his chair. Hercules put a hand on his forearm and kept it there.

Marshal Adams cleared his throat. ‘We need a small team to go in. The plan rests on secrecy, stealth, and the ability to infiltrate without being noticed for as long as possible. Having a full brace of Enforcers, Phoenixes, Strafers, and Valkyries would possibly draw the ire of all the Kaiju in the area. We couldn’t risk that happening. We’d never get through.’

‘Maybe we should listen to what the plan is, son,’ said Hercules, gently. He met Chuck’s furious gaze with an understanding look of his own. ‘Let’s not jump to conclusions, all right?’

Chuck blew out a huff of air but nodded his head, stiffly. He sat back down and Hercules squeezed his arm gently before letting go.

Hermann cleared his throat. ‘All right. So after receiving documents that had been lost for decades, we’ve been able to pinpoint the origin of the Kaiju. We now know that there were portals that opened up all over. That is what distributed the Kaiju throughout the world. What we didn’t know was if there was a master portal. One that controlled the others. The information we found told us there was and told us where it is. We did some reconnaissance missions to check the area. There is an...entry point...we’ve discovered which is a portal to some other dimension. It’s the master portal and it’s what’s allowing the Kaiju to go back and forth. If the portal was destroyed it would seal off any further Kaiju. It would shut down all the other portals as well. We’d just have to take care of the Kaiju who are left behind.’

‘An entry point?’ asked Mako. She had a grip on Raleigh’s hand so tight, he winced slightly at the pressure.

‘Yes. One master portal that has never been revealed before but now we have the information and we can shut it down. I know we’re going up to Agate Shatterdome first but when that’s done, we have to travel to the entry point and shut it down for good. It’s going to take a small group to get through, get the job done, and get out of there.’ Hermann looked at each one of them as he spoke.

‘Where is it at?’ asked Raleigh.

‘It’s near the abandoned air force base in North Dakota,’ said Hermann.

‘Wait...isn’t that where the nuclear missiles are stored?’ asked Cheung, his face a picture of dismay.

‘Uh….yes,’ said Hermann.

Aleksis and Sasha exchanged something in heated Russian and then Sasha leaned forward. ‘This is madness. Those nuclear warheads are still active and there are more than a hundred of them in the ground. What do you propose, we set them off and destroy the entry point?’ she demanded.

‘Yes,’ interrupted Marshal Adams. ‘That is exactly what you’re going to do. Go there, trigger the commands, and get the hell out. We’ll blow the entry level to atomic pieces and hopefully any Kaiju in the area. Then we can begin destroying the remaining Kaiju on our planet.’

‘That’s a lovely plan and all but I highly doubt we’re going to get close enough to do what you want us to do,’ disagreed Chuck. ‘The Kaiju aren’t stupid. They may act like zombies but they have a hell of a lot more intelligence.They will be guarding that area and will fight to the death. I agree with Sasha. This is madness.’

‘We can’t do it that way. Come on, guys. Nukes? How many action movies have you seen? There’s got to be a better way. We can do this with subtlety not brute strength,’ argued Raleigh. ‘Look at how Mako does things. She doesn’t use guns. She has her swords but she takes out as many Kaiju as we do. It’s not about brute strength, it’s about knowing what to do and how to do it. You want us to go in as a strike team? Well, let’s _act_ like a strike team. Was there anything else you science guys discovered?’

Marshal Adams and Marshal Pentecost exchanged looks. Hermann fidgeted, slightly and Newt made an exasperated noise.

‘These geniuses aren’t going to cop to it but there’s a better way. A _smarter_ way,’ he expanded. ‘The Kaiju are all very large but their eyesight is bad. There’s a way to use that to our advantage. We have some new technology and more info about that portal than what they want to tell you,’ snarled Newt, baring his teeth in what couldn’t exactly be described as a grin.

Mako ignored the protests of both Marshals and Hermann. She locked eyes with Newt. ‘What way?’ she asked, her voice soft but unyielding. ‘What further information?’ She turned her attention to Hermann whose shoulders slumped as he looked at her.

After a moment’s pause, Hermann straightened his shoulders and began to speak.

*****

‘Mako! Mako!’ called Raleigh as he ran to catch up with her. After Hermann’s stammered explanation, Mako swept back her chair and sparing a hard look at Marshal Pentecost, left.

Raleigh glanced at him, noted he had paled with great interest, and headed out after her. He ignored the babble of voices that had sprung up after Hermann outlined the alternate plan. He figured Sasha and Cheung would be able to poke holes into it without his presence just fine. He had more pressing concerns.

Mako could eat up yards with her strides if she wanted to and when she was really angry, she could go quite the distance. Raleigh had longer legs and should, theoretically, be able to keep up with her. Theoretically.

‘Mako...please...I’m old,’ he pleaded, the rasp in his voice not faked.

Mako sighed and stopped, her body shuddering as her lungs raked in huge gasps of air. She turned slightly and Raleigh was struck anew at her beauty, even in her anger.

‘If Newt hadn’t said anything, we’d be on a suicide mission,’ she enunciated clearly, cutting off each word mercilessly.

‘Yeah,’ agreed Raleigh. ‘It wouldn’t have looked good.’

‘Why? Why do they do this to us? Haven’t we given enough? Haven’t enough people died already, trying to figure out how to end this?’ cried Mako. Her tears ran down her face as she angrily wiped her eyes.

‘It’s not like them to think outside the box, Mako. It’s why we have people like Newt and Cheung and Sasha on our side. Even Chuck. They all want to finish this war and survive. I’m not saying Marshal Pentecost doesn’t...it’s just...you know, outside the box thinking. We’ve got the key now, Mako. We can finish this and come back home. We can start a new life together, anywhere we want. All we have to do is get in, let Hermann do his magic math voodoo, and get the hell out,’ said Raleigh.

Mako sighed. ‘Stop being rational. I’m the rational one in this relationship.’

Raleigh grinned, stepping forward to pull her into his arms and hold her tight. ‘The earth might stop spinning if that’s the case. I’ll take the risk.’

He bent his head and kissed Mako, gently.

Mako kissed him back, her mouth opening and the kiss becoming more heated.

A slight _cough_ behind them had her ending their kiss but not stepping away from within the circle of Raleigh’s arms.

Chuck and Newt stood there, Chuck with a grin on his face and Newt looking a little uncomfortable.

‘You guys want to take a walk? Figured Newt could fill us in more on this other plan,’ suggested Chuck.

‘Where is everyone else?’ asked Raleigh.

‘Marshal Pentecost and my dad are probably yelling at each other behind closed doors. The Wei Tang triplets are intent on finding a basketball court to take their frustration out on. They’ll join us later. Aleksis and Sasha are waiting for us. So is Darius and Javion,’ replied Chuck.

‘A walk would do us good. Where’s Hermann?’ asked Mako, looking around.

Newt fidgeted a little more. ‘He, uh, doesn’t want to see me right now. He’s going over numbers and says since I was the one who put the wrench into the works, I can damn well fix things. He’s in a bit of a snit.’ Newt followed this information up with a mournful look at Mako.

Mako giggled a little. ‘I hate to say this but you sort of jumped over a few ranks, there. You’re a nervy little guy, aren’t you?’

Newt straightened his posture from its habitual slouch and sniffed. ‘They’ve got my picture beside the definition of ballsy, just so you know. Fortune favours the brave, dude.’

Chuck and Raleigh snorted their amusement. Mako touched Raleigh’s face briefly before lacing her fingers with his. ‘Let’s go. We don’t want to keep Aleksis and Sasha waiting,’ she reminded them.

‘Or Darius and Javion. Man, Darius looked **pissed** ,’ commented Raleigh.

Newt nodded his head, once. ‘Follow me. There’s a lot to talk about. We’ll get the Wei Tang triplets at some point, too. I’d like to make sure we’re all on the same page.’

‘Lead on,’ instructed Raleigh, gently. He smiled at Newt. ‘Let’s plan the apocalypse. On our terms.’

 

*****

The drive up to Agate Shatterdome was quiet. Raleigh glanced over at Mako from time to time but didn’t say anything. Chuck was driving the Phoenix, his eyes constantly surveying the road ahead of them.

Just ahead of them, Cherno Alpha was moving stolidly along. The huge Enforcer had been in use for many years. There were many dings and scrapes on the armour. Sasha and Aleksis piloted the Enforcer with familiarity of a decade’s long partnership.

Ahead of them was the nimble Enforcer, Striker Eureka, which Stacker and Hercules piloted together. It was the fastest amongst the Enforcers, able to maneuver in tight spaces the best of all four of them. It usually took point and with Stacker and Hercules at the helm; very little would escape their attention.

Behind the Phoenix was Crimson Typhoon, the largest of them all. The Wei Tang triplets were in charge of this Enforcer with its split deck. One of the armaments could rotate 180 degrees and protect the Enforcer from any rear attacks. The forward facing armament dealt with any oncoming Kaiju. It was formidable.

Behind Crimson Typhoon was a moving lab on wheels. At least, that’s how Raleigh thought of it. It was a large armoured mobile home that was on a military flatbed and drove by Hermann with Newt as his co pilot. Inside the mobile home was the shared lab of the two scientists. When it was safe, the lab could be parked and the two scientists were inside, working on their projects.

Last was Romane Danger, trundling along with its reserve pilots. Chuck and Mako had piloted this Enforcer for a long time. From time to time, they would take the wheel and join the other Enforcers when needed but they preferred to do the clean up work with Chuck.

All the Enforcers were large vehicles that rose several feet above the ground, mass weaponry bristling across it like an armed porcupine.

Tendo piloted his small Strafer, his communication unit at his side. He kept his headset on and his eyes were constantly scanning the horizon for any movement. The Strafer hovered above Striker Eureka, staying clear of its bristling weapons.

They didn’t have any Valkyries with them. As a road unit, they needed to keep things lean. Valkyries were usually kept with the individual Shatterdomes. The heavily weaponed helicopter was a great reconnaissance machine. It also could sweep over the hordes of rampaging Kaiju and bring death and destruction amongst its ranks with its missiles and machine guns. A Valkyrie hovered over the small unit as it made its way out of North Star Shatterdome, making sure that it wouldn’t be ambushed by any waiting Kaiju. Nothing happened and after making sure there wasn’t any delayed tactics from the Kaiju, the helicopter turned and went back into the Shatterdome.

Raleigh glanced over at Chuck who had spared a moment from staring at the road and was peeking at Mako. After Newt’s announcement, she had stayed away from Marshal Pentecost. Instead, she spent time with the other pilots formulating strategies that would ensure success. Raleigh wondered if she’d ever talk to her adopted father. He’d watched Marshal Pentecost watch Mako with a resigned look on his face; they both knew her temper and stubbornness. Everyone knew Mako’s iron will and knew better than to actively anger her against them.

‘Mako…you should talk to him,’ said Raleigh quietly, meeting her eyes without flinching.

‘I don’t have anything to say to him,’ retorted Mako, her shoulders rigid.

‘I think you have plenty to say to him,’ observed Chuck, apparently deciding he needed to help Raleigh out.

‘How would you feel if your father sent you to certain death, Chuck? That he considered you nothing more than a game piece on the board?’ demanded Mako, tightening her grip on her newly upgraded sword. Hermann had given it to her before they left Northstar Shatterdome.

‘Well, I look at it like this. I’d rather be sacrificed, knowing I’m ending this whole mess. The ends justify the means, sometimes, and it isn’t pretty or fair, Mako. It doesn’t work that way. But I signed up for this with open eyes. I always hoped I’d get through and out the other side, alive. I never expected it would happen,’ explained Chuck. He glanced at her then continued scanning the area as he shrugged.

‘You’re OK with being the cat’s paw?’ asked Mako, her anger dissipating and curiosity taking place.

‘I’ve made my peace with it. Dad’s made it clear to me that if it came down to it, he or I would do what needed to be done and there’d be no weeping or groaning.’ Chuck sighed. ‘It’s odd to have hope. Hope that this can end and hope that I’ll still be standing if it does. I’m wrapping my head around that, to be honest. I was so prepared to die. The possibility I might still be alive is kind of weird to me.’

‘Huh,’ commented Mako. ‘I’ve never look at it like that. I never thought I’d die but I always knew that something might happen horrible would happen instead.. Some accident. Something we didn’t account for and I’d end up dead, anyway or close enough to it. There’s been plenty of casualties amongst other road units. We’ve all known someone who’s died,’ she ended softly, taking Raleigh’s hand and squeezing tight.

They didn’t talk about Yancy a whole lot. He’d gone out on what was supposed to be a simple clean up mission. This was in the earlier days when the movements of the Kaiju weren’t as well known. The ambush was brutal and efficient. There were no survivors and when the Valkyries found the remains of the unit, Yancy had been dead a week. Chuck had coaxed Raleigh into the gym every night for a month, riling him into fighting him. It was the only way to reach him during that time. Raleigh was like a dead man walking; it was like the Kaiju had killed them both.

It took some time but with Chuck and Mako’s careful support and care, Raleigh slowly came back to them. There were times still that Chuck joined Mako and Raleigh in their bed, holding Raleigh on one side and Mako cradling him on the other. It was friendship and love entwined. After helping Mako take care of Raleigh, any remaining rivalries between the two men disappeared. Chuck and Raleigh still gave each other a hard time but it was all in good fun.

‘Yancy would have been thrilled to see this happen. We’d talked about exploring the world someday...when this was all done. He wanted to do that whole backpack thing. Walk around Europe and over to Eastern Europe and up into Russia. He thought we’d really get to know a country by spending time with its people and living frugally,’ revealed Raleigh with a reminiscent smile.

‘That sounds lovely. Would you still want to do that, after we’re done?’ asked Mako, hesitantly.

‘I think it’d be great. I was thinking of pitching the idea of us being a reconstruction crew to Marshal Pentecost, anyway. I thought we could go around and help Shatterdomes build outside of themselves. Help people reclaim cities and rural areas. We’d stay for a couple of months and then move onto the next place. What do you think?’ asked Raleigh, looking at Mako and Chuck.

‘I’m in,’ said Chuck, promptly. ‘We could visit Shatterdomes all over, see some old friends, and help people restart their lives...it’ll be a blast!’

‘It’ll be great. And if we find somewhere we want to settle down, we can talk about it….you never know, we might find just the right place. It would feel like home,’ said Mako with a smile.

‘You going to talk to your dad?’ asked Chuck.

‘Eventually. I’m still angry with him and his refusal to take the lesser known road. I need some time,’ replied Mako, brushing her bangs back with a sigh.

‘I don’t blame you. I know he loves you, Mako. And, here’s something else to think about,’ said Raleigh gently, brushing her cheek with his fingertips.

‘What is that?” she asked him, smiling up at him.

‘He wouldn’t ask something of you he wouldn’t do himself. He wouldn’t expect you to sacrifice everything without him doing his best to not make that happen. I know he’d sooner sacrifice his own life and see you live. Talk to him, Mako. When we get to Agate Shatterdome, talk to him alone,’ suggested Raleigh.

‘I’ll see. But thank you for that,’ said Mako with a slight smile on her lips. She stared out the window. ‘How much longer?’

Chuck maneuvered the Phoenix around a pothole and looked at the map. ‘We’ll get there in a couple of hours if things go well. Enjoy the scenery while you can. We’ll be knee deep in Kaijus tomorrow,’ he predicted.

‘You’re probably right. It is gorgeous around here,’ commented Mako, staring at the huge pine and birch trees that lined the road.

*****

Two hours later had them pulling into Agate Shatterdome’s bay. They had gaped at the huge lake just outside, protecting the backside of the Shatterdome. They knew it was the largest freshwater lake in North America and seeing it stretch out past the horizon with their own eyes was amazing.

The whole group rumbled into the bay and the Enforcers neatly parked side by side while Tendo gently landed his Strafer next to the others. The large mobile science unit had parked to the left and Hermann and Newt were busy hooking up electrical lines to it.

Chuck parked near the science unit and he opened up the door with enthusiasm. He was happy to be there and have the time to stretch his legs. Raleigh and Mako climbed out behind him, both of them stretching their arms above their heads and feeling their spines expand.

They walked over to where the Enforcer pilots were standing, Marshal Pentecost’s attention on the officer walking towards them.

She had gunmetal grey hair and dark blue eyes that missed nothing as she studied them. Raleigh resisted the urge to straighten his shirt and try to get the wrinkles out. Her walk was brisk and her handshake was firm, judging by the look on Pentecost’s face when he shook her hand.

‘Welcome to Agate Shatterdome. I believe you spent time with Marshal Adams down at North Star?’ she asked, her voice clipped.

‘We did. He told us you’d be here,’ said Marshal Pentecost.

‘Indeed. I’m Marjorie Johnson, second in command at North Star. I came up here so that you could ask any questions about the mission. The Marshal of Agate was killed in the last skirmish. We’ve yet to replace him. I might be here awhile. Although, if things go well, it won’t matter anymore,’ she said, bluntly.

‘We will do our best,’ said Marshal Pentecost, quietly ‘Do you have a place for us? I think we need to unpack, maybe eat something, and look over the information you have for us. Did you want to meet up in a couple of hours?’

‘A couple of hours would be good. We’ll get you settled in some rooms and take you to the cafeteria. After that, you’ll have some time to look over the information packets and we can meet for any questions,’ agreed Marjorie.

She handed Marshal Pentecost a stack of folders. ‘Here’s what you need for tomorrow’s strike against the Kaiju. Let’s get you settled.’

She motioned with her hand and another crewman from the Agate Shatterdome came up to them. ‘This is Lin. She will show you around. I’ll see you in two hours.’ She nodded at the young woman and then turned and left.

Lin smiled at them. She had short, tousled brunette hair and sparkling green eyes. She was just a little taller than Mako and vibrated with nervous energy. ‘Let me get you to your rooms. I know it was a long ride up from North Star. I’ve done that gig a few times, myself. After that, I’ll bring you to the cafeteria. You’re in luck….we have Italian night, tonight.’

‘Good cooking is hit or miss?’ asked Chuck.

‘Yeah. We do pretty good on easy stuff. More complicated dishes don’t come out the way the cooks would like but we give them a star for effort. Italian night is pretty good, though. We have a buffet of Italian dishes and garlic bread sticks...we also have a nice Caesar salad if you like that,’ continued Lin as she escorted them down a hall and then took a right down another hall.

‘That sounds great,’ said Chuck, enthusiastically. ‘I like bread sticks.’

Lin smiled. ‘Good. All right. Your rooms are all here. Let’s see if I have this right...’ her voice trailed off as she checked her tablet. ‘Aleksis and Sasha in one room, The Wei Tang triplets in another, Hermann and Newt in another, correct so far?’ she asked, looking up to verify.

The people mentioned all nodded their heads, Hermann with a faint scowl and Newt rolling his eyes at him.

‘Fab. Then we have Tendo and Chuck sharing a room, Mako and Raleigh in another room, and Darius and Javion in another room...and….Marshal Pentecost and Hercules in another room. All in order?’ she asked, glancing up again with a smile.

‘That’s right,’ agreed Marshal Pentecost.

‘Great! Here are your keys,’ said Lin, passing them out to each person. ‘Your names are on them...and the door number...I can wait here if you want to just drop off your bags. I haven’t eaten either, so you’re welcome to sit with me and my crew for dinner.’

‘Thank you for the invite. That’d be perfect,’ said Hercules, flashing a smile at her as he opened up the door to his and Pentecost’s room. He walked in briefly and then walked out, having set his bag inside.

Everyone else did the same and before long, they were walking down the corridor to join up with a larger hallway. They followed that until they got to the cafeteria where the smells of good cooking teased their noses.

After getting their choices on a tray, they sat down at a long table and began to eat. Lin introduced them to the other people sitting at their table and their conversations joined the others going on in the huge dining hall.

After dinner, Lin brought them to the center of operations where Marjorie was waiting. She thanked Lin and showed everyone where they could sit down around a massive table. Raleigh was beginning to think a huge table was standard equipment in a Shatterdome.

For a while, there was nothing but silence as they leafed through their folders and read information and strategies on the Kaiju that were harassing Agate Shatterdome.

‘Do you have any questions?’ asked Marjorie, when they looked up at her one by one, to signal they were done with the information she’d given them.

‘Not really. Your Valkyries are going up into the hills to flush out the Kaijus even more, am I right?’ asked Raleigh.

‘Yes. They’ll come swarming out of the hills, guaranteed, but we want to take care of as many of them as we can. So we’ll encourage them to leave their hidey holes,’ responded Marjorie.

‘All right. What time tomorrow?’ asked Raleigh.

‘Nine am. This will take a while. I can’t begin to estimate how many are living up there. The Shatterdome has been under constant siege for a couple of months, now. I ordered a strike yesterday so you could get through but rest assured, they’ll attack tomorrow morning,’ said Marjorie with a weary sigh.

‘Best turn in early tonight, then. I want you all in bed by 2200 and up at 0700 for breakfast, am I clear?’ ordered Marshal Pentecost.

‘Crystal,’ replied Chuck and everyone nodded their agreement.

‘Fine. Feel free to take some time for yourselves and I’ll see you in the cafeteria at 0700. Dismissed,’ said Marshal Pentecost, his tone crisp.

Raleigh got up out of his seat and gathered his folder, wanting to go over some more things before it was time to turn in. He turned to talk to Mako but saw she was approaching Pentecost. He caught Hercules’ eye and nodded.

Hercules stepped around Mako and Pentecost and joined him and Chuck. ‘Do you mind if we take a walk?’ he asked.

‘No,’ said Raleigh. He essayed an encouraging smile at Mako who smiled back and then turned her attention to her father.

Raleigh and Chuck followed Hercules out of the room.

*****

Later, Raleigh would remember that time as a gift he’d received. He hadn’t had the time to talk to Hercules a whole lot. He respected his and Pentecost’s relationship and was happy they were together. He knew from what Chuck said that Chuck’s mother dying hit him hard. He wasn’t a man to indulge in hasty affairs. Hercules and Pentecost had started seeing each other when Pentecost was assigned to his first Shatterdome.

Hercules told them it hadn’t occurred to Pentecost to ask Hermann if there’d been another way to complete the mission. He’d not known Hermann and Newt had been arguing bitterly over the other option. He wasn’t pleased with either scientist at the moment because they should have brought their concerns to him in the first place.

Hercules also told them he’d intended on leading the team and getting everyone else out. He was going to stay behind and finish the job.

Raleigh and Chuck exchanged horrified glances. Hercules didn’t show it but they could see what it cost him to keep his own opinions to himself and to respect Pentecost’s wishes. His eyes shone and his voice thickened as he told them how he’d yelled at Pentecost once all the facts came out.

‘I never thought I’d say this but thank god for Newt’s mouth,’ muttered Chuck, getting a small smile out of his dad.

‘I like the idea of all of us going home in one piece. Have you and Stacker talked about what you’ll do once this is said and done?’ asked Raleigh.

‘Well...not a lot. There’s always been that dream in the back of our heads...we’d roam around for a while, going to places and relearning the world. Then, we’d settle down, somewhere. I wondered if I’d get the chance to grow old, Raleigh. Maybe see Chuck meet someone and get married, start a family. It was such a shot in the dark, though. After we lost Yancy...’ Hercules’s voice trailed off and he wiped his eyes with the corner of his sleeve.

Raleigh leaned forward, touching Hercules’ shoulder, gently. ‘It’s OK...you don’t have to,’ he said, trailing off when Hercules glared at him.

‘Let me say this just once. When we lost Yancy, we almost lost you. If we’d lost you, we would have lost Mako and Chuck, too. All of you would have died in some way. I wasn’t sure what to do. I could see you slipping away from us and...then this idiot,’ and Hercules ruffled Chuck’s hair.

‘Hey!’ yelped Chuck with a grin.

‘This one, he pulled you back. He pulled you back and Mako pulled you back and I was able to breathe again. It was bad enough losing Yancy. I don’t know what I would have done if I’d lost you and Mako and Chuck. I know this would have cut Stacker in two. It would have gutted him,’ said Hercules, softly.

‘So you almost lost hope?’ asked Raleigh, understanding Hercules’ underlying message.

‘Yeah. And now, I have it again. I’m still wrapping my head around it but I’d like to start hoping again. It’s an odd feeling to have, like a tickle in the back of my throat...but I like it. And you are all welcome to come see us, wherever we land,’ invited Hercules.

The men all nodded at each other. Raleigh would remember this, years later. The way the light shone on Chuck and Hercules’ heads, turning their hair into strands of gold. The way they all were more at ease with each other. The way Chuck smiled at his dad and how his dad quirked a smile back at him. It was a memory that Raleigh treasured.

*****

Morning came quick and breakfast was quick as well. Raleigh, Chuck, and Mako checked their weapons and their ammunition. The Phoenix had been looked over by mechanics the day before and tires were replaced, a complete tune up was done, and the weapons on the vehicle were in top working order. The ammo boxes stacked in one corner were reassuring as was the fresh scent of grease and oil.

The Enforcers had been primed and weapons and ammo ready to go. Tendo’s Strafer was gleaming under the lights and his communications unit was adjusted to Agate Shatterdome’s frequency.

Hermann was overseeing the restocking of the science vehicle, agitated when anyone else went into the lab. He and Newt were not going with everyone else. This wasn’t an expedition in which they needed to take part. They would get the lab restocked and everything recharged and instruments recalibrated. The few weapons the science lab had were also checked over and ammunition distributed.

The other Enforcers were ready to go. These were Agate Shatterdome’s and there were six of them as well as eight Strafers, six Phoenixes, and ten Valkyries. Raleigh was impressed at the amount of Valkyries the Agate Shatterdome had. Most Shatterdomes had six and it alluded to the sheer amount of Kaijus attacking that they needed an additional four to handle them.

Mako strapped herself in and double checked her swords while Chuck flipped some switches to get their comm unit online. After a moment, Tendo’s voice came over the loudspeaker.

‘Ready ready, Fawkes?’ he queried.

‘That’s affirmative,’ replied Chuck, speaking into his comm unit. He continued flipping switches and the hum of the engine and the weapons warming up filled the cabin.

Raleigh sat next to Mako, holding his M249, strapped in and his comm unit under his baseball cap. The cap read: ‘Go Big or Go Extinct’ and amused the other pilots.

They could hear everyone else responding to Tendo and the enormous bay was filled with the sounds of engines starting up. The Valkyries screamed as they lifted into the air, the panels in the roof opening to allow them access. After a few moments, they could hear the muffled sound of artillery as the Valkyrie shot at the Kaiju who were attempting to get close enough to the Shatterdome to gain entrance.

After a few moments, the bay doors opened and the Enforcers rolled out, the agile Strafers rising in the air and escorting them. As soon as they got outside, the artillery fire increased. The Enforcers were engaging the Kaiju with extreme prejudice. The doors had slammed shut after the Enforcers and Strafers left the bay.

Mako, Chuck, and Raleigh sat listening to Tendo’s voice calling out coordinates and relaying information with the other Strafer pilots. This was the worst part for them, the waiting until most of the Kaiju had been dealt with and they could follow up. It was easier on the road as they had to engage along with the Enforcers. Here, they had the luxury of waiting in the protection of the Shatterdome with the other Phoenix vehicles but they worried how the fight was going.

After what seemed an eternity, Tendo exclaimed, ‘Let’s finish this!’ and the bay doors opened again. Chuck let out a whoop of excitement and rolled out with the other Phoenixes.

There were Enforcers still rolling over the terrain, some of them shooting at the Kaiju grouped in the hills and some of them cleaning up the remaining Kaiju around the Shatterdome. The Valkyries swooped overhead, launching missiles into the hills where inhumane howls could be heard.

‘Jesus. This is like hell,’ muttered Chuck as he readied the machine gun’s controls.

‘Let’s go hunting for wabbits!’ exclaimed Raleigh, opening a side hatch and aiming his M249 through it.

Mako rolled her eyes and waited, her hands steady on her swords.

The next few hours were spent making sure the Kaiju in the surrounding open area around Agate Shatterdome were dead. After some time, Mako and Raleigh left the vehicle and walked alongside it, Mako dispatching Kaiju with her swords and Raleigh shooting any Kaiju who moved to stop her. Chuck controlled the machine gun in the vehicle, chattering off rounds every now and then.

When the sun began to dip behind the horizon, the area around Agate Shatterdome was safe and the remaining Kaiju had fled back into the woods and hills. The Valkyries made a last few sorties, taking care of as many Kaijus as they could and the Enforcers rumbled in the lower hills, killing the Kaijus who fled away from the Valkyries and went towards low ground.

Mako and Raleigh were back in the Phoenix, watching the clean up. Chuck had exchanged ammunition boxes for the machine gun and Raleigh had put a fresh clip into his gun. Mako was cleaning off her swords and watching Tendo sweep over them, doing a loop de loop with his Strafer.

Chuck grinned. ‘Someone’s showing off for us,’ he commented.

‘Wait until Marshal Pentecost gets a hold of him. He’s going to regret that little stunt,’ said Raleigh, chuckling.

‘It’s just Tendo blowing off some steam,’ remarked Mako, following his Strafer with an indulgent smile on her face. ‘He has been in the air nonstop, helping to coordinate everyone. Marshal Pentecost understands the need to get it out of his system. He’s going to get back to business, just you wait.’

Tendo’s voice came over the comm lines not thirty seconds later ‘All right, that’s a wrap, folks. Good job, everyone. Agate Shatterdome told me we put quite the dent in. They estimate the number of Kaiju are down by at least half. That’s going to help a lot. We’ll have another go at them tomorrow and then head back down to North Star. Let’s head back to base.’

‘Yeah! I want some more of those breadsticks!’ cried Chuck, firing up the engine and turning the Phoenix around.

‘I don’t think it’s Italian night tonight again, Chuck. Lin mentioned something about casseroles and homemade baked treats,’ said Raleigh.

‘I’m all about the baked treats,’ said Chuck, happily. ‘If this includes cake and cupcakes, there will be no complaints.’

‘We’ll have to see,’ said Mako. She scanned the area anxiously until she could count all of the Enforcers coming towards the Shatterdome. She noted Striker Eureka had some fire damage and Crimson Typhoon was moving at a slower rate than normal. Cherno Alpha looked just fine as did Romane Danger. It was good they would be staying a couple of weeks at North Star Shatterdome. The Enforcers could get checked over again and all the vehicles and weapons would be in prime condition for the final strike.

Mako thought back to her talk with her father. He’d explained he was unaware of the information Newt and Hermann had. He also told her that he had no intention of her life or anyone else’s lives being forfeit. He was fully intending on being the only one left behind. Mako had just shook her head. She knew better than to argue with him and felt even more in Newt’s debt for his revelation.

She was glad she talked to Pentecost and heard from his own lips his thoughts and feelings on the final battle. Ever since she’d been adopted by him, he’d invested his life into fighting the Kaiju war. He’d taken care of her, raised her and encouraged her ambitions. He was taken back when she’d joined the team and was further taken back when she’d paired up with Raleigh. She knew he had thoughts of her and Chuck. She’d grown up with Chuck, though, and loved him as a brother not anything more.

Now, she hoped there would be a future. A future with Raleigh and a future seeing her dad and Hercules grow old together. She really wanted that. She decided when things got fixed and the world was back on its feet, she was going to buy Newt something cool. Maybe a Mr. Science kit.

She giggled at the thought of Newt being excited at receiving a child’s chemistry set and merely raised her eyebrows at Raleigh when he looked at her, questioningly.

‘Just thinking about things,’ she told him, her lips curved up in a smile.

‘Ok. Hey, speaking of things, Chuck and I have an idea. Tell me what you think,’ said Raleigh, excitedly.

Mako didn’t miss the looks of glee Raleigh and Chuck exchanged before Raleigh started talking. She settled back into the seat and listened as Chuck drove them back to Agate Shatterdome.

*****

Days passed. They brought down the Kaiju infestation down to less than a quarter of where it’d previously been. They spent another day at Agate Shatterdome before heading back out and down to North Star. Their trip was uneventful this time. No one attacked them. Newt and Hermann theorized it was because a number of the Kaiju had made their way up to Agate, instead.

A week passed and then another. All the vehicles and weapons were in the best condition they’d ever been. The pilots had all been briefed and had come up with the way to get in, get the job done, and get out. Newt and Hermann were working hand in glove to make sure the calculations were accurate. Hermann especially wanted to make sure the numbers were ‘as close to god’ as he could get them.

The night before the attack, Marshal Pentecost called his team together. They gathered in a small room, each of them bringing the items he’d requested.

Raleigh had Mako cradled in his arms, his chin resting on the top of her head, his hands holding their items along with hers.

Chuck was standing next to them, his hands gently clasping his.

The Wei Tang triplets stood next to Chuck, each of them holding things in their hands. Cheung met Mako’s eyes and smiled, briefly.

Aleksis and Sasha Kaidanovsky stood near Stacker, their hands clasped together with their items held within them.

The two pilots who had signed on with them, Darius and Javion, had their items and stood next to the Kaidanovskys. Darius nodded at Raleigh, his dark eyes gleaming and Javion fidgeted slightly, his dreads shifting as he moved.

Tendo stood, tucked in between Hermann and Newt, holding his items, his mood somber. He looked down at his hands and was quiet.

Hermann and Newt held their items carefully, both of them staring at Stacker, waiting for him to begin.

Marshal Pentecost glanced over at Hercules who was standing next to him, his hands holding his and Stacker’s items. There was an exchange of smiles and then Pentecost’s body straightened and he looked at everyone in the room.

‘This has been a long time in coming. We have waited years...years of hoping that we could end this...years of grieving for our lost ones and the lives we left behind. We have fought battle after battle together. And now we come to this, we have the key to end this and rebuild our planet,’ said Pentecost, catching everyone’s eye and nodding at each person.

‘We haven’t forgotten our loved ones. We’ve fought not only for ourselves but also in their memory. Tonight, we remember them, we tell them they aren’t forgotten. Tonight is our time to grieve one last time and to hope that when tomorrow night comes, life will have changed for the better.’

Hercules stepped forward to the table that was in the middle of the room and set down the objects in his hands. Two tall candles in glass globes. He handed one thing to Stacker and put the other down on the table. It was the photo of Chuck’s mother, when she was pregnant with Chuck.

Chuck made a small sound and Raleigh and Mako both put a hand on his arm. Hercules glanced at him and smiled a sweet smile of warmth and remembrance.

Stacker put down his item and it also was a photo; it was a photo of his sister with another woman and they were in each others’ arms and laughing. He gently touched their faces before setting their photo in front of a glass globe.

He nodded at Hermann who set his candle within its glass globe down and a photo. A young man looks out, his eyes serious but with a slight impish smirk on his lips. Hermann wiped his eyes and murmured a name no one could hear.

Tendo was next; he set down his items, and shook his head, his eyes tearing up as he set down a photo of his grandfather. His hand trembled as he put his candle down, adjusting the glass globe.

Newt set down his candle in a globe abruptly, almost causing it to fall over. He grimaced and righted it and then sets down a photo, his mouth tight. In the photo was a young girl, her eyes wide and a small smile on her mouth.

Raleigh steps forward and puts his and Mako’s candles down and then Mako puts down two photos, one for each candle. In one photo, Yancy is smiling devilishly at the camera. In the other photo, there is a picture of Mako’s parents.

Chuck puts down his candle carefully and puts down a photo of his mother and him. They both were smiling and had ice cream cones in their hands. He looks up at his dad and his mouth trembles.

Cheung set his candle down and his photo, his fingers ghosting over the picture of the smiling young woman. He sighs and steps back.

Hu puts down the photo first and stares at it for a moment before setting the candle down. The two girls in the photo are dressed as though for a party. They look mischievous and Hu touches the photo one last time before he steps back.

Jin puts down his candle with the same amount of force Newt does and slaps his photo on the table, his eyebrows drawn over his eyes in a scowl. In the photo is a man who is wearing a crimson robe and has no smile on his face. Jin flexes his fingers and steps away from the table, allowing his brothers to grasp his arms to show support.

Darius glances at his brother before setting his candle down, his movements careful and precise. His photo shows a family gathering. He smiles wistfully and trades another look with his brother before stepping back.

Javion puts his candle down with as much care as his brother and puts his photo down with a delicate touch. His photo is a snapshot of his and Darius’ parents. He touches their faces before stepping back from the table.

Sasha sets down two photos while Aleksis positions their candles. One of the photos has a young couple smiling in it. The other photo has three children in it. They all have blonde hair and two of them are boys and the youngest is a girl. Sasha murmurs words in Russian as she traces the edge of the photograph.

Stacker steps forward as they both step back with a long thin rod lit on the end. He touches the flame to the candle wick and passes it to Hercules who does the same. This time, the candles are lit going the other way around and ending with Hermann who blows out the flame after lighting his candle.

‘We haven’t forgotten you. You’re in our hearts...you’ve always been there...our future is waiting for us but you will be part of it as we move forward. Tomorrow, we stop the clock. We end this,’ says Stacker, his voice solemn and steady.

Everyone shifted and studied the pictures of the loved ones they’d lost from the Kaiju. Mako leaned back in Raleigh’s arms. Aleksis put his arms around Sasha and kissed the top of her head. Hercules put a hand on Stacker’s back.

They stood there in silence, breathing in the scent of the beeswax candles and glancing at one another with comforting smiles on their faces. Stacker looked at them again and nodded, satisfied.

‘Get some sleep. We’ll move out at dawn.’

*****

In the years since, Raleigh remembered that time in flashes, pictures that blazed in his head like comets. He remembered the trip to the base, their unit moving quickly, avoiding the Kaiju when possible and engaging them when needed.

He remembered getting past the Kaiju at the base, using some of the new technology that rendered their vehicles invisible. A cloaking device that was the key to getting them into the lab on the shattered base.

Raleigh remembered Chuck’s whispered curses as he bypassed the security code. Mako was standing guard, her swords out and at the ready.

When Hermann and Newt turned on the generator and plugged in the patching device, Raleigh could hardly breathe. He watched as the scientists typed in code after code after code. The Wei Tang triplets were on the other side of the room, their guns at the ready.

When the screen lit up and Hermann choked out something in German and Newt swore a string of words that vaguely sounded like English, Raleigh could hear the ruckus, could hear the unnatural screaming in counterpoint.

Everyone’s hands tightened on their weapons, waiting for the Kaiju to rip through the barrier. Raleigh had exchanged looks with Mako, their love for each other steadying their hands and their lips curved in sweet smiles.

Raleigh would always remember that. Her face, her eyes, her lips.

Raleigh remembered Tendo breaking communication silence, his voice trembling, his words tumbling over one another. ‘They’re going….they’re being ripped back into this rift it’s beautiful it’s terrifying I don’t want to see this ever again in my life. They can’t fight it they’re going they’re...’

Silence. Raleigh took deep gulps of air and Hermann slumped against the panel and Newt did a small jig of victory. The Wei Tang triplets kept their weapons at hand and Jin whispered, ‘What happened? Is it done?’

Raleigh remembered hearing Aleksis’ voice booming over the comm unit, his words filled with unbelievable joy. ‘Is done, Jin! Is done...they are gone….without a fight. We’re fine. Sasha and Hercules and Marshal and Darius and Javion. We are coming through.’

Raleigh remembered the Enforcer pushing through the barricades with Aleksis grinning wickedly through the windshield and Sasha waving wildly.

The next thing Raleigh remembered was Mako in his arms and her lips on his.

And Chuck pounding his back and the Wei Tang triplets whooping and shouting.

Raleigh, his attention was focused on Mako, on her face with her smile so wide and so hopeful it hurt to look at. He brushed away her blue tipped bangs and kissed her again.

*****  
Epilogue

The clean up of any remaining Kaiju was simplistic; mainly because there wasn’t any Kaiju to deal with after the rift opened and recalled them all. They checked with the other scientists and portals opened up all over the world, pulling the Kaiju through them and sealing tight behind, leaving no sign nor Kaiju behind.

That Hermann broke the code and was able to type in the instructions to open up the main portal and send them back through that one and all the other portals to where they came was amazing.

That he was able to do that and no lives were lost in the process was a damn miracle.

Newt had meticulously read the translation to Hermann, double checking the entries as he typed. There would be no room for error and they had only one shot at making this work.

The scientists were hailed as heroes and Raleigh grinned for weeks when he remembered the pole-axed expression on Hermann’s face and the triumphant one on Newt’s when they were feted the first time, publicly.

Hermann and Newt were in high demand, going on the science lecture circuit, talking to scientists from all around the world. They stayed in touch with everyone else and when they were able to see the others, there would be a night of remembrances and catching up.

The Shatterdomes around the world opened up and people were able to leave, go back to the cities their families came from, and begin rebuilding.

Chuck, Raleigh, and Mako went from Shatterdome to Shatterdome around the world, helping them get settled and easing the Shatterdomes’ transitions into diplomatic and military bases.

Marshal Pentecost and Hercules came with them, lending their expertise and seniority.

Since the others made up an international team to close off the main portal, once that had been accomplished, they could go to their homes.

Tendo and the Wei Tang triplets went back to Hong Kong to help with the Asian countries there. They worked together, helping mainline China’s reconnection with the world at large.

The Kaidonovskys went to Russia, choosing to help them and the Eastern European countries rebuild. They, too, kept in touch with everyone. When the six month mark came around, the others flew to Russia and the time that followed was celebrated with plenty of vodka, dancing, and food.

Darius and Javion stayed in the United States, living in the area in which their families had raised generation after generations of Hintons. They helped the Empire State Shatterdome reorganize and when Chuck, Mako, and Raleigh came through, showed them around and went with them to Hong Kong shortly after for a visit.

When everything settled down, Hercules and Pentecost decided to live in Hong Kong, seeing as most everyone was in that area. Chuck joined them after traveling around for a while. He adopted a bulldog he named Max and showed up at the Hong Kong Shatterdome to bother Tendo on a regular basis.

Raleigh and Mako also settled in Hong Kong. Mako wanted to stay close to her father and Raleigh didn’t care; he wanted to be wherever Mako was. Mako became a liaison for the Asian Shatterdomes. Raleigh found he could step into his late father’s shoes and became an ambassador for the region.

They visited each other when they could and it seemed as though it was just yesterday they’d seen each other.

It was a good life and the world slowly recovered. The Kaiju were gone for good.

The clock had stopped. The Kaiju zombie apocalypse was over.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to Aphrodite_mine for her exquisite beta'ing of this sprawling fic. As usual, the tenses try to have their devilish ways with me but nuh uh!
> 
> Thank you to I'm Your DM for his clever mind. He helped me sort out some of the worst plot kinks.
> 
> Much thanks to my marvelous youngest son who is an expert in military guns and vehicles. He supplied the knowledge needed.
> 
> The Enforcers looked in my mind a cross between the Sandcrawlers in Star Wars and a more mobile tank. They replace the Jaegers in this story. 
> 
> Here's a picture of what a Phoenix looks like: http://www.military-quotes.com/forum/top-10-armored-personnel-carriers-t65716.html
> 
> The Strafer that Tendo rides around is an enclosed sort of Speeder bike that the Imperial Storm troopers zoomed around on in Endor in 'Return of the Jedi.'
> 
> The huge helicopters in this fic, the Valkyries are modeled after the Boeing AH-64 Apaches. Here's what they look like and more info about them:
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_AH-64_Apache
> 
>  
> 
> Thanks to the mods for their hard work putting this reverse big bang on...it was a lot of fun to be part of it.
> 
>  
> 
> And last but surely NOT least, thank you to the artist who did the original artwork that captured my attention. Ponderosa's art is amazing. Go give her love.


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